Pressure regulator incorporating a pressure balanced moving seat

ABSTRACT

The present invention, the Pressure Balanced Moving Seat (IPBMS) provides a technique to bias a spring or springs in a pressure regulator valve which greatly reduces the force needed to adjust the regulation of this device. This is accomplished by embodying a moving seat in such a way that the static pressure on either side of the moving seat is always in balance.

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of my earlier filed Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/515,930, filed Oct. 30, 2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to adjustable pressure control valves for controlling the pressure of a fluid from a fluid supply which can accurately regulate a wide range of pressures with a relatively small amount of input torque necessary to change the set pressure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most pressure regulator designs are based on the concept of an adjustable orifice that is controlled by using an adjustable spring bias to provide a pressure set-point. The principle difference in previous designs of these devices is centered on the method by which the spring bias is applied.

The most common technique for biasing a spring is to apply force directly to the spring by means of an adjusting screw. This technique requires that the device must overcome the force of the spring, as well as the system pressure, and it is the least efficient. A typical control device consists of a pin and seat which, working with a bias spring, provides a controlled orifice.

For low pressure, the down side of using this technique is relatively small, and the complexity of the valve is minimal. For high pressure, the force of adjustment becomes more problematical and thus, other techniques to artificially bias the spring are used. In some cases, the seat is adjusted independently relative to the control pin, which artificially biases the springs. In other cases, the pin is biased relative to the spring by changing its relationship to the seat.

There are a number of pressure regulators that employ a moving seat conceived to overcome some of the shortcomings of the previous technology. The major improvement introduced here is to change the method of biasing the piston spring set. In previous patented technologies, either the springs were adjusted from an external source, or a moving seat was employed to achieve the same result In both cases, it was necessary to overcome the system pressure in order to make an adjustment, which resulted in high torque loads needing to be applied for any adjusting screws

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

The previous technology which most closely resembles this PBMS design employs a moving seat to change the bias of the springs, thus changing the pressure control set-point This technology relies on minimizing the area of the moving seat that is exposed to the system pressure. There is, however, still an imbalance between the atmospheric pressure and the system pressure, which changes the volume of the valve during adjustment. The force necessary to displace the fluid at high pressure can still be very significant.

PRESSURE BALANCE MOVING SEAT (PBMS) TECHNOLOGY

The potentially patentable aspect of the PBMS technology is that the moving seat does not change the internal volume of the device. Thus, in adjusting the device, no static pressure imbalance has to be overcome, as is the case in previous technology. This concept provides a means to adjust the pressure regulation set-point with minimal force. For high pressures, this is very significant, especially if remote-control acuation is desired.

SUMMARY OF INVENTON

The present invention provides adjustable pressure control valves for controlling the pressure of a fluid from a fluid supply. Valves of the present invention can accurately regulate a wide range of pressures and requires a relatively small amount of torque to adjust the pressure of the valve during operation.

The valve consists of five major components.

First is the body which houses all of the functioning components.

Second is the adjustment handle assembly which passes through the body and has a thread engagement on one end and an adjustment knob on the other. This assembly can rotate within the housing, but does not translate.

Third is the seat assembly which consists of a valve seat that is affixed to one end of the housing and a thread engagement on the opposite end that engages the threaded end of the handle assembly. The seat assembly also includes seals which isolate the outlet port from any flow path other than through the seat. Additionally, there is a flow path through the seat housing which allows fluid to pass through the housing in either direction when the housing is translated via the thread engagement with the handle assembly.

Fourth is the pin assembly which consists of a pin that is designed to engage the seat at varying distances, depending upon the pressure and volume that is being regulated through the valve. The pin assembly consists of a pin and a housing that permits the pin to translate within the housing. The pin is biased via a spring. The purpose of this translation is to compensate for the force of the main springs when fluid pressure is removed from the valve.

Fifth is the valve spring assembly which consists of the main spring stack and housing. This spring stack provides the necessary force to provide the required regulation.

The functionality of the valve is as follows: When fluid is introduced into the inlet port, it passes through the seat contained within the seat housing and exits through the outlet port. A restriction can be induced at the seat by translating the seat in the direction of the pin assembly. As the pin moves into the seat, the volume of fluid that can pass through the seat is decreased.

It should be noted that the pin contained within the pin assembly is biased, as noted above, by a spring, but also by the pressure of the fluid that is introduced into the valve. Therefore, the force on the pin is equal to the valve pressure force plus the spring pressure force, which then prevents the pin from translating within its housing

The pressure of the fluid being restricted then causes the pin assembly to translate against the bias of the main spring. The combination of the force of the main spring, the restriction, and the fluid pressure results in a pressure balance that is maintained by the proximity of the seat and the pin to each other. The pin translates relative to the seat to maintain a set pressure.

The control valve of the present invention is capable of accurately regulating fluid pressures at any set pressure. This particular embodiment is especially useful for regulating very high pressures, because there is no change in volume of fluid within the valve when an adjustment is made. This adjustment feature is unique to this present invention.

The torque requirement needed to operate the valve is largely a function of a change in seal pressure as the pressure is increased. Therefore, the torque required to turn the adjustment handle is fairly insignificant throughout the whole pressure range. This attribute of the present invention makes the valve easily adaptable to automation using low energy actuators. The valve size can be scaled up or down with no limit outside of the practical applications.

While this design is primarily for liquids, the same technology could be applied to a gas regulator, as the principles hold for either type of fluid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The embodiment of the PBMS for a pressure regulator application is as follows: Reference FIGS. 1 and 2:

(See FIG. 1 )The valve consists of a body (1) that houses all of the functioning components, and an adjustment handle (2) that rotates within the body, but does not translate. This adjustment handle has a thread engagement (3) that connects it to the moving seat (4). The moving seat consists of a seat contained within a housing that is sealed on both ends. This moving seat can translate via the threaded engagement (3) to adjust its relative position to the piston/pin (7). Between the seals that are embodied in the moving seat is the outlet port (12) of the device. The piston/pin (7) is sealed from the atmosphere by a seal (9). The piston/pin (7) is biased by the spring (8).

When pressure is introduced via the inlet port (10), the piston/pin (7) is displaced against the bias of the spring (8). The seat (11) can be adjusted via the adjustment handle to thread engagement (3) and moving seat (4), thus controlling the size of the orifice. Note that there is a passage (X) (FIG. 2) through the moving seat which allows fluid to be equally pressurized on either side of the moving seat assembly. (See FIG. 2) Also note that the areas (A) and (B) (FIG. 2) are equivalent; thus, the seat is in balance in terms of static pressure.

Previous Technology (FIG. 3) shows how the moving seat is not in balance, as one end is at atmospheric pressure, while the other is at system pressure. When the seat is moved forward, as is the case in previous technology, it must displace the volume at system pressure, which requires a much higher input force.

(See FIG. 4) The Body (28) is a pressure vessel which includes an Inlet Port (10) and an Outlet Port (26) and has a boring in which the moving parts can translate.

There are two sub assemblies within the Body: the Pin sub assembly (FIG. 6) and the Seat sub assembly (FIG. 7). These two sub assemblies are made up of components which form an adjustable orifice. This orifice is of a Pin and Seat design in which the Seat (7) has a fixed orifice, and the Pin (9) is positioned at varying distances within that orifice to change the area of the orifice.

These two sub assemblies can both translate relative to each other. The Pin (FIG. 6) sub assembly passes through a device, and is positioned by, a closure called the Cartridge (13). The Pin sub assembly (FIG. 6) is free to translate through the Cartridge (13). The Cartridge (13) positions the Pin sub assembly (FIG. 6) within the Body (28) in conjunction with a variety of seals, and it forms a closure element to the atmosphere for the body (28).

At the point where the Pin sub assembly (FIG. 6) exits the Cartridge (13), it is trapped by a Receiver (17). This Receiver (17) is biased against a Spring Stack (15) which is contained within the Spring Housing (16), and it is free to translate within the Spring Housing (16). In turn, the Spring Housing (16) is threaded to the Body (28) and captures the Cartridge (13), locking it into place.

The Pin sub assembly (FIG. 6) is comprised of the Slider (19), Spring (20), Slider Cap (21), Pin Housing (24), Pin (9) and a Pin Retainer (23).

The Slider (19) and Slider Cap (21) are threaded together. The Slider Cap (21) holds the Pin (9) and the Pin Housing (24) in position. The Pin (9) and Pin Housing (24) are biased against the Spring (20).

The Pin (9) and Pin Housing (24) area free to translate within the space formed by the Slider (19) and the Slider Cap (21).

The volume formed by the Slider (19) and the Slider Cap (21) is not sealed from the internal pressure of the valve.

The purpose of this spring-biased sliding mechanism is to allow the Spring Stack (15) to fully extend when pressure is absent from the valve to prevent the Pin (9) from being damaged.

The Seat sub assembly (FIG. 7) consists of a Seat Holder (27), the Seat (7) which embodies an orifice, the Seat Retainer (8), and a set of seals (5) & (25) that prevent fluid from flowing to the Outlet Port, thus ensuring that all the fluid passes through the orifice.

This Seat sub assembly (FIG. 7) is engaged by a Threaded Stem (4), which is captured by the Body (28) and is free to rotate within the Body (28). This rotational motion allows the Seat sub assembly (FIG. 7) to translate within the Body (28), thus changing the position relative to the Pin (9) and thereby changing the size of the orifice. This allows a pressure set-point to be achieved.

The Threaded Stem (4) is manifolded through a series of drilled passages to allow pressure equalization, which minimizes the torque requirement needed to move the Seat sub assembly (FIG. 7).

The Seat sub assembly (FIG. 7) also is manifolded through a series of drillings which allow fluid pressure to be equalized around the Seat sub assembly (FIG. 7).

This feature allows the Seat sub assembly (FIG. 7) to translate within the valve freely, as there is no change in volume when the Seat sub assembly (FIG. 7) is translated.

The internal pressure of the valve is maintained through a variety of seals (2), (12), & (18).

Additionally, there is an adjustment Handle (1) fixed to the Threaded Stem (4). The Threaded Stem (4) is pressure biased against a Bearing (3) which allows the Threaded Stem (4) to rotate freely.

There is also a Panel Nut (29) which provides a means of mounting the valve to a control panel. 

1. An adjustable pressure control valve for controlling fluid from a fluid supply comprising: I. A body which houses all of the functioning components. II. An adjustment handle assembly which passes through the body and has a thread engagement on one end and an adjustment knob on the other. This assembly can rotate within the housing, but does not translate. III. A seat assembly which consists of a valve seat that is affixed to one end of the housing and a thread engagement on the opposite end that engages the threaded end of the handle assembly. The seat assembly also includes seals which isolate the outlet port from any flow path other than through the seat. Additionally, there is a flow path through the seat housing which allows fluid to pass through the housing in either direction when the housing is translated via the thread engagement with the handle assembly. IV. A pin assembly which consists of a pin that is designed to engage the seat at varying distances, depending upon the pressure and volume that is being regulated through the valve. The pin assembly consists of a pin and a housing that permits the pin to translate within the housing. The pin is biased via a spring. The purpose of this translation is to compensate for the force of the main springs when fluid pressure is removed from the valve. V. A valve spring assembly which consists of the main spring stack and housing. This spring stack provides the necessary force to provide the required regulation.
 2. The valve of claim 1 wherein the seat assembly is selectively positionable relative to the pin assembly where these members comprise a variable area passageway that, in the closed position, prevents fluid from passing through to the outlet port, and in an open position, allows the fluid to pass through to the outlet port.
 3. The valve of claim 1 further comprises a spring disposed in a spring housing that biases the pin assembly against the pressure of the fluid in the valve.
 4. The valve of claim 1 contains a seat assembly that can translate within the valve body without changing the volume of said body. This is accomplished by allowing fluid to pass freely through a passage that connects one end of the housing to the other.
 5. The design of the valve of claim 4 permits fluid to pass from the seat opening to the outlet port of the body, but does not allow fluid to pass in any other manner to the outlet port due to the seals on either end of said housing. The position of these seals allows the seat housing to translate within the valve body over a pre-determined range
 6. The design of the valve of claim 4 is such that the area on either end of the seat housing is equal; thus, equalizing the pressure on either side of the seat housing, no matter where it is translated within the body.
 7. The valve of claim 1 comprises an adjustment handle assembly, part of which is a stem that passes through the pressurized housing of the body through to the exterior of the valve. This stem contains fluid passages that equalize the pressure on either side of the bearing surface, thus reducing the force required to adjust the valve at pressure. 